How do you solve a problem like 'problem solving'?

As we discussed a shortlisted campaign from India over dinner, an ad man asked in a slightly peeved tone, “But what problem is it trying to solve?” It was a serious question in what had been a mostly fun conversation. Just a few minutes ago, the same ad guy had likened Graham, from Clemenger BBDO’s multiple Grand Prix winning road safety campaign, to an Indian politician. No, we are not telling you who he is supposed to resemble; look at the picture and feel free to guess.

After several case studies – some blatantly self-serving, some very well meaning -- it was a good question to ask.

Because entries that win big at these festivals are no longer just about finding an innovative way to push the brand. They must compulsorily stand for some greater meaning, having ‘solved’ a problem that’s vexed society for decades. Case study presentations frequently end with happily ever after images of starving kids fed, poor people who are now marginally less poor, sad people who are, to all appearances, less unhappy…you get the picture. There was even a parody on such videos created by BBDO India a few years ago.

As the week wore on though, it was hard to not start feeling extremely cynical about some of these cases and causes. At a press conference, journalists claimed to have contacted TigoUne who said many features showcased in the case study by Grey were not currently available. The jury responded with what felt like a collective shrug claiming they’d checked with the agency, and the entry got a Grand Prix in Product Design

To return to the ad man’s question, here’s the problem a lot of entries are trying to solve: how do we win more awards? What elements should be added to our case study to let it get a foot in the door? Is there a caste system to media coverage: does a nod from NYT matter more than full page spreads in local media?

Back in a simpler age, award lust manifested in an ad for a local dive or tattoo parlour. Those entries were more honest, in their own dishonest way, at least transparent about their intentions. They didn’t have the temerity and basic lack of decency to pretend to advance human society in any way. They didn’t superficially play act at tackling issues governments and NGOs are nowhere close to finding a solution to, after decades of trying.

Perhaps the way around this is for each entry that claims to be in the ‘problem solving’ space, to clearly mention the duration of the programme, the number of people benefited, and most importantly, why, if it was such a brilliant solution, it had to wind down. Agencies that end on an ambiguous ‘happily ever after’ note, should be deemed conditional winners, and if after a year (or longer), the programme is still humming along, and still ‘solving problems’, only then should they get their trophies, points and the rest.

Because what we have currently is agencies and brands furiously virtue signalling to an audience disinclined to call bullshit when they see it, presumably because their attention span has whittled down to just eight seconds, if a presentation at Cannes is to be believed. Anything that comes across as warm, fuzzy and clever, and leaves one with a dopamine rush and gets a quick seal of approval, before the person moves on to the next spectacle that promises to delight, amaze and shock. If we genuinely believe ‘problem solving’ is a problem worth solving, all of us, from journalists to juries, should be asking far tougher, nastier questions. And not accepting that clicks, views, shares solve anything – from societal to marketing problems.

It will also be interesting to see how many of these ‘small attempts at making the world a better place’ survive the lack of an incentive provided by award shows. A true test of how committed agencies and their brands are to ‘problem solving’ will be if these approaches continue through the long holiday from gong fests that at least one group is taking.

And finally a few observations:

In his presentation about cracking social video, Matt Donovan from Microsoft played an ad for Windows Phone, mocking the users of Android and iPhone, which he hailed as a viral sensation.

That’s great, Matt. Now explain why Windows Phone has a 0.3% market share according to Gartner in 2016.

Literally no film had more people we met, puzzling over why it won than the film craft Grand Prix. Compared to some of the entries it beat for the Grand Prix, it was quite basic. Unless we are missing something genuinely stunning. If we are, please feel do tell us:

Two of the Gold winners in Film Craft were so harrowing, they actually came with a disclaimer from Juan Senor, the host of the Cannes Lions.

Our timelines and newsfeeds compel us to live a literally second by second existence. We read about a friend’s struggle with depression or the death of a parent, and literally one post down, is a video of a puppy falling over, or vacation photos. And yet, the cognitive dissonance of viewing these ads shortly followed by the winners trooping in on stage, grinning ear to ear, and waving their trophies about triumphantly, was a little too much to take.

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Ravi is a patron of the arts (well, some of them), and a critic of almost everything else. He is the editor of Brand Equity and in his free time, listens to heavy metal and reads Show more.. offbeat literature.